Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has dismissed as malice claims that his foundation embezzled donor funds running into millions saying he will fight to the end to clear his name.
Kalonzo said he has no even been served with letter dated May 2 that the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) coordination board communicated its decision to suspend operations of the Kalonzo Foundation and dissolve the board of directors.
Similarly, Kalonzo who spoke from his office today said they have not been served with any court order indicating freezing of his Foundation’s account hence the letter signed by NGO Coordination board executive director, Fazul Mahamed does not hold water.
He produced a letter written and signed by Fazul dated April 10, 2017 that gave the foundation a clean bill of health and wondered what has changed in under a month, even as he described the latest happening as being politically motivated and aimed at spoiling ukambani votes.
In the April 10 letter, Fazul said that the board had reviewed the foundation’s submissions on compliance notice and established that their records have been duly updated.
“We wish to inform you that the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation is now compliant with the NGOs Coordination Act 1990, the attendant regulations and terms and conditions of registration,” Fazul said in the letter.
Kalonzo who doubted President Uhuru Kenyatta’s hand in discrediting him said that the turn of events is the works of people under him and that he ‘leaves the intention of this to the best speculation’.
“I am not really exonerating President Kenyatta; I would be very surprised if he would besmirch a family. I would also be shocked if the President issued the instructions, it is driven by personal vendetta and people with wicked intentions, someone gave instructions,” stated Kalonzo, who was flanked by his son Kennedy and other Wiper Mps.
Despite the board saying the foundation cannot account for Sh146 million it received from donors, Kalonzo clarified that it only has 3000 dollars and he keeps replenishing it from his own sources so that its operations can continue running, uninterrupted.
“When there is an attack on the family, it does not look good, they have now hit below the belt. It is very disheartening to see my foundation being besmirched, but we will not be cowed. You cannot freeze an account without a court order, this we cannot take lying down…we will fight, we will not allow this to continue,” affirmed Kalonzo.
“And who is this Fazul? Who does he work for? As far as I know there is no NGO board, its a one man show and he does not even have papers…if the Jubilee Government has an enemy it is Fazul because Kenyans can see his victimization,” he firmly added.
He said the foundation accounts are clean and that it sometimes operates in dollars because of high interest rates charged on local currency, even as he stated that they sent over 20 young people to Cyprus university to study, likening the airlift to that of Tom Mboya.
He said his foundation has helped over 2,000 people from disadvantaged background with their main financier being a church from Cyprus.
On the Sh50 million received from China Youth Development foundation, Kalonzo admitted to it but explained that it was given as a dummy cheque and they Chinese subsequently brought the materials and constructed about four primary schools in Mwingi North and South.
Separately, Fazul came under sharp criticism for freezing accounts of the foundation with pressure groups terming the directive as “illegal and politically motivated” and part of a wider scheme to drive the wedge into the works over Musyoka’s political leanings.
Accusations have been made that Mahamed used forged academic certificates to secure employment to the NGO Board.